Fence-post.



UNITED STATES PATENT unica.

WILLIAM L. FINLEY, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,595, dated February 6, 1900.

i Application filed J'uly 19, 1899. Serial No. 724,340. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. FINLEY, of Janesville, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Fence-Posts, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fence-posts adapted for attaching thereto and carrying wires, either1 straight and smooth wires or barbed wires composing the longitudinal rails of the fence.

The invention consists of the improved post, its parts and combinations of parts, as herein described and claimed,- or the equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a section of wire fence in which my improved posts are employed. Fig. 2 is a front edge view of a fragment of my improved post. Fig. 3 is a view of one side of a'fragment of my improved post, the wires attached thereto being shown in cross-section and a portion of one member of the post lbeing broken away to show the inner surface of the other member of the post. Fig. 4. is a view of the inner surface of a fragment of one member of the post. Fig. 5 is a view of the inner surface of a fragment of the other member of the post.

In the drawings, A A represent my improved posts, and B B are the wires, stretched on and secured to the posts. My improved post is constructed of metal and preferably of rolledsteel bars. These bars are of such width and thickness as to adapt them for the required strength needed in a fence and are of such length as to adapt them to support thereon the number of wires desired in the fence. In Fig. l Ihave shown a section of fence having ve wires or rails, which is the number required by lawin some parts of the country to make a proper fence. Each post A consists of two members C C', these post members being, as before stated, constructed of rolledsteel bars, which are iiat at least on one surface of each member, adapting these surfaces to it against and complement each other. These two members are secured together by bolts D D, and one member is provided with recesses or grooves E E, which grooves are in pairs near each other and extend, in the inner flat surface of that member of the post, from its front edge rearwardly a littledistance substantially at right angles to the front edge of the post and then curve (preferably away from each other) upwardly and downwardly, respectively, to their terminations in the post member. Each of these pairs of grooves is adapted to receive therein a U- shaped wire staple F of the character now commonly in use for securing the wire of a fence to wood posts. The other post member, C', has no groove in it for a staple, but its inner surface is fiat, as shown in Fig. 5, and this surface is placed against the grooved surface shown in Fig. 4 of the member C, and, being bolted thereto, the staple-sockets, in pairs, are formed, that are clearly shown in Figs. 3 and et. The post being thus completed by placing the non-grooved member C against the grooved member C and bolting them together is set in the ground and the wires B are placed against the front edge of the post, between the two grooves of a pair of grooves E E, and a staple F, straddling the wire, is driven into the grooves or sockets E E,the staple bending outwardly, following the curved form of the grooves as it is driven into the sockets, thuspractically clenching it inthe post against removal, except under considerable force applied directly thereto for withdrawing it.

Posts of this character can be inexpensively made by reason of their being constructed of {iat-rolled bars substantially as they come from the rolling-mill, with the slight additional work thereon of drilling or punching the bolt-holes and stamping in the grooves E F.. In fact, these grooves E E may be formed in the rolling-mill in the manufacture of the bars by properly-constructed rolls therefor, aswell as substaniiallycutting the bolt-holes in the rolling-mill.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A fence-post consisting of two metal-bar members secured to `each other surface to surface, one member having staple-grooves in pairs in its said surface extending inwardly from its front edge and curving upwardly or downwardly, the staple-grooves being adapted to receive awire staple therein and clench it by bending on being driven into the post in the grooves.

IOO

2. The combination ofafenee-posteomprissaid Wire is by the clenchng of the staple in 1o ing two metal-bar members secured to each the post secured to the post.

other surface against surface, one member In testimony whereof I affix my signature having curved staple-grooves in its said surin presence of two Witnesses.

5 face, a Wire placed against the edge of the post, and a staple straddling the Wire and ex- WILLIAM L' FINLEY tending into the postin the curved staple- Witnesses: sockets formed of said grooves and the com- J. J. CUNNINGHAM,

plementary covering post member, whereby ETHEL HOLLOWAY. 

